Method and apparatus for knitting sliver high pile fabrics

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic system for sliver high pile fabric knitting machines whereby the usual air jets, disposed adjacent the needle circle and operative during knitting, are eliminated, and suction is employed for retaining the sliver fibers on the needles during knitting and for removing loose fibers from within the needle circle to a location remote from the needle circle, from which location the loose fibers either may be handled as waste or conveyed back to the machine for re-delivery to the needles.

United States Patent, ['91 Thore 1 3,728,872 [451 Apr. 24,1973

[ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR KNITTING SLIVER HIGH PILE FABRICS [52} US.Cl. ..66/9 13, 19/107, 302/28 [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 9/14 [58] Field ofSearch ..66/9 B, 80; 19/107;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1920 Laffoon ..302/28 UX8/1932 Kennedy.....

2,564,683 8/1951 Frisch ..302/28 3,265,442 8/1966 Willis, Jr. et al.........302128 R26,0l5 5/1966 Radtke ..66/9 B 1,667,177 4/1928 Trout..19/107 2,280,535 4/1942 Moore 66/9 B UX 2,457,104 12/1948 Moore ..66/913 2,725,735 12/1955 Moore ...66/80 2,953,002 9/1960 Hill ..66/9 B2,993,351 7/1961 Wheelock ..66/9 B 3,010,297 1 1/1961 Hill ..66/9 B3,014,355 12/1961 Hill ..66/9 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 195,8024/1923 Great Britain ..66/9 B OTHER PUBLICATIONS Pile Fabrics" by DanielFrishman, reprinted from Textile Industries, 1760 Peachtree Rd., N .W.,Atlanta, Georgia-30309, Copyright 1964-1965; pages 1, 2 necessary.

Primary Examiner-Robert R. Mackey Att0rney-Paul & Paul [5 7] ABSTRACT Apneumatic system for sliver high pile fabric knitting machines wherebythe usual air jets, disposed adjacent the needle circle and operativeduring knitting, are eliminated, and suction is employed for retainingthe sliver fibers on the needles during knitting and for removing loosefibers from within the needle circle to a location remote from theneedle circle, from which location the loose fibers either may behandled as waste or conveyed back to the machine for re-delivery to theneedles.

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Thomas J. Thore ATTORN EYS- PATENTED APR 24 I975 SHEET 5 OF 5 INVENTORThomas J. Thore M PM ATTORNEYS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR KNITTING SLIVER HIGH PILE FABRICS Thisinvention pertains to improvements in sliver high pile fabric knittingmachines, and more particularly to a new and improved pneumatic systemfor such machines.

Silver high pile fabric knitting machines as presently used are highlywasteful and inefficient instrumentalities because of their grosswasteage of sliver fibers. At the present time, such machines areprovided with air jets at each yarn feeding station which directcompressed air into the needle circle. The purpose of'such air jets isto retain the pile fibers generally normal of the needle shanks as theneedles take and knit the backing yarn to form the pile fabric. The airjets deliver compressed air from points external of the needles throughand inwardly of the needle circle.

For a variety of reasons, such arrangement is unsatisfactory. First, theair jets usually blow a large percentage of the pile fibers off of theneedle, resulting in substantial fiber wastage. Additionally, carefulpositioning of the air nozzles is most imortant, to ensure that thefibers are knit properly with the backing yam without creating faults inthe fabric. Should the air jets not be properly positioned, or shouldthey become clogged, thereby interfering with the air flow, faults, suchas ribs and in-knits", are likely to occur in the fabric.

Additionally, the longer the pile fibers, the less efficient become theair jets. Because they are spaced around the needle circle, they tend towork against each other. With relatively long pile fibers, the opposingair jets tend to disturb fibers on the needles adjacent other yarnfeeding stations causing faults, such as tangles.

Heretofore, fiber removal systems have been provided for sliver highpile fabric knitting machines, but with only indifferent or limitedresults. Such arrangements usually consist of an air suction systemdisposed above the needle circle, for removing loose pile fibers fromwithin the needle circle. Because such systems are not effective belowthe level of the air jets spaced around the needle circle, and becausethe jets of compressed air create such a turbulance within the needlecircle, present suction systems are of limited value in removing fibersfrom within the needle circle, most of which have been blown off theneedles by the air jets. As a result, sliver high pile fiber knittingmachines and the fabrics made thereby are relatively dirty in the sensethat both the machines and the fabrics become littered with loose, wastepile fibers. Indeed, the

' problem is so severe that it frequently is necessary to remove theloose fibers from the knitted fabrics before final processing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedpneumatic system for sliver high pile fabric knitting machines wherebythe usual air jets adjacent the needle circle are eliminated, andsuction is employed for retaining the sliver fibers on the needlesduring knitting and for removing loose sliver fibers from within theneedle circle to a location remote therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide pneumatic means wherebyloose sliver fibers removed from within the needle circle are returnedto the sliver feeding means of the machine for re-delivery to theneedles.

A further object is to eliminate the air jets of sliver high pile fabricknitting machines and substitute an air suction system.

A further object is to provide a pneumatic system for sliver high pilefabric knitting machines which eliminates the excessive fiber wastagewhich presently is chacteristic of such machines.

A further object is to provide a new and improved pneumatic system forsliver high pile fabric knitting machines which enables the machines toprovide fabric which is not littered with loose, waste pile fibers, andwhich eliminates the necessitity of removing such fibers from theknitted fabric prior to final processing.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following disclosure of the preferred embodiment thereof illustratedin the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, more or less schematic, view in elevationshowing part of a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine to which thepneumatic system of this invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a partial section in top plan looking in the direction of thearrows 2 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view of a sliver feeding means of themachine, looking in the direction of the arrows 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 41 is an enlarged, fragmentary, generally schematic view looking inthe direction of arrows 4 4 of FIG. 3, showing part of the needlecircle.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view looking in the direction of thearrows 5 5 of FIG. 4, showing a needle with both pile fibers and thebacking yarn within its hook.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the suction hood shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view'of the bottom of the suction hood.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section looking in the direction of thearrows 8 8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section looking in thedirection of the arrows 9 9 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section looking in thedirection of the arrows l0 10 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view in section looking in the direction of thearrows 11 ll of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in section looking in the direction of thearrows 12 12 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section showing the sliverentry means for a sliver feeding means of the machine.

FIG. 14 is a view in cross section looking in the direction of thearrows I 3 -of FIG. 13.

In the following Specification:

The term casting off" shall indicate the discharge of a loop of yarnfrom a needle as a newly drawn loop of yarn is pulled through thedischarged loop to form a new stitch.

The term cast-off level shall indicate that level during knitting towhich a needle descends to discharge a loop of yarn while a newly drawnloop of yarn is FIG. 1 illustrates the invention applied to aconventional sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having the usualneedle cylinder with its complement of circularly-arranged independentlatch needles l1, sinker ring 12 and ring gear 13. Uniformly spacedaround the needle circle are a plurality of sliver and yarn feedingstations, each of which includes a sliver feeding means 16 and a tubularyarn guide 17 for feeding body yarn 18 to the needles. The yarn guidetubes 17 are spaced a relatively small distance from their adjacentsliver feeding means 16 in the direction of cylinder rotation, so thatthe needles first remove fibers from the usual doffer 19 prior to takingand knitting yarn 18.

In addition to the doffer 19, each sliver feeding means 16 includes theusual transfer cylinder 20, spaced pairs of sliver feeding rolls 21 anda sliver entry means which, in accordance to this invention, consists ofa box 22 (see FIG. 3). Incoming sliver 23 passes through the lowerportion 24 of sliver entry box 22 to the feed rolls 21, from which itpasses via main cylinder and doffer 19 to the circle of needles 11 inthe usual manner.

Disposed within the circle of needles 11 is a suction hood 30, theconstruction details of which are illustrated in FIGS; 4-l0. The upperpart of suction hood is of generally frusto-conical construction. Itslower portion 31 is of generally cylindrical or annular configurationhaving a periphery 32, a bottom 34 and a top 35. Formed in periphery 32is a plurality of uniformly spaced arcuate openings 33. As best shown inFIGS. 3 and 8, the upper portions of openings 33 extend inwardly of thehood 30 into the top 35 of the cylindrical portion 31 of the hood. Eachof the openings 33 is disposed at a sliver and yarn feeding station andis adapted to receive the lower portion of a doffer 19 in the area whereit delivers sliver fibers to the needles 11 (FIG. 3).

Each arcuate portion of periphery 32 which is removed to provide theapertures 33 is bent inwardly of the periphery 32 about bend line 36 andthen bent outwardly to provide right-angled internal walls 37g and 37b(FIG. 9). Each opening 33 merges into a smaller, tapered opening 40 inperiphery 32 (FIGS. 4, 6), which extends in the direction of needlerotation to the point where, or just beyond where, the needles reachcast off level.

Disposed in the outer portion of floor 34 of hood 30 are a plurality ofspaced notches 41 (FIG. 7), each extending arcuately from a pointproximate where the needles begin to descend from clear level toproximate the point where the needles first reach cast-off level (FIGS.4, 5). Each notched out portion 42 is bent upwardly along bend a line 43extending inwardly of floor 34 proximate the point where needles l1reach cast-off level (FIGS. 4, 6, 7). With this arrangement, theupturned notched out portions 42 perform as cams to aid in retaining thesliver fibers 25 in the hooks of the needles 11, generally normal to theneedle shanks, as the needles descendto cast-off level, all of which isparticularly well illustrated in FIG. 5.

The upper portion of suction hood 30 is connected by a conduit 48(FIG. 1) to a blower or fan 49, or equivalent means for creating suctionwithin conduit 48 and hood 30. By reason of the construction of openings33 and 40 and the provision of internal walls 37a and 37b, the suctioninduced in hood 30 is concentrated at each sliver and yarn feedingstation along an arc of the needle circle extending from a pointproximate the mid-point of the doffer l9 to a point proximatev where theneedles reach cast-off level. With this arrangement for concentratingsuction along spaced arcs of the needle circle, the pile fibers raked bythe needles 11 from the doffer 19 are retained or held on the needlesgenerally normal of the shanks thereof under a mild, but steady anduniform tension or force, as the needles pass the doffer and advance tocast-off level. The caming action of earns 42 (FIG. 5) aids inpreventing the pile fibers 25 from departing from a position normal tothe needles and assuming a more vertical position, as the needlesdescend to cast-off level (FIG. 5).

By eliminating the usual air jets spaced around the needle circle, andemploying the air suction system described, far superior results areachieved in the knitting of sliver high pile fabrics. Because the airsuction concentrated at each sliver feeding station gently sucks orpulls the fibers against the needles, there is far less fiber lossbecause of the substantial reduction in the extent to which fibers arepulled off the needles. Further, because the suction is concentratedover a fairly substantial segment of the needle circle at each feedingstation, without variation, faults such as tangles, ribs and in-knitsare eliminated from the knitted fabric.

By reason of the complimentary action of the concentrated suction andcams 42, a superior pile effect is achieved, because the fibers aremaintained straighter" during knitting and stand up substantially betterin the finished fabric. The suction also serves to remove all fibersfrom the doffer 19, thereby preventing clogging.

The discharge side of blower 49 may lead to a collector means (notshown) for waste fibers, but preferably is connected by a conduit 50 toa cylindrical manifold 51 (FIG. 1). Preferably, the upper end 52 ofconduit 50 is inserted into the lower portion of manifold 51, andextends upwardly to approximately the middle thereof, manifold 51 andconduit portion 52 being co-axial.

Formed in the bottom of manifold 51 are a plurality of uniformly spacedapertures 53, each of which opens to a downwardly extending returnconduit 54. Apertures 53 are formed in a concentric ring about conduitportion 52 (FIG. 2). There is provided one aperture 53 and one conduit54 for each sliver feeding means 16 of v the machine. Each conduit 54terminates at the entrance to the upper portion 26 of a sliver entry box22 (FIG. 3).

Loose pile fibers within the circle of needles 11 are sucked upwardlythrough hood 30 and conduit 48 by blower 49, and blown upwardly throughconduit 50 into manifold 51 (or to waste, if desired). Because the upperend 52 of conduit 50 is spaced from the top of manifold 51, the incomingfibers are distributed uniformly of the manifold. Since the apertures 53are disposed concentric to conduit portion 52, the incoming fibers aredivided or distributed substantially equally or uniformly among each ofthe several apertures. In this manner, the fibers blown into manifold 51are distributed evenly among the several conduits 54.

for return to the respective sliver feeding means 16. Thus, manifold 51acts as a fiber distributor or equilizer for return of the fibers to theseveral sliver feeding means for re-delivery to the needles. It isimportant, of course, that substantially equal quantities of loosefibers be distributed from manifold 51 through conduits 54 to theseveral sliver feeding means 16, to ensure uniform re-distribution ofthe returned fibers to the knitting head. Otherwise, satisfactory fabricmay not be produced.

The air pressure from blower 49 transmits the substantially uniformlydistributed fibers through the conduits 54 and into the upper portions26 of each sliver entry box 22. As shown in FIG. 3, the discharge end ofeach conduit 54 is so arranged with the upper portion 26 of each sliverentry box to provide for the returned fibers to be delivered or blown tojoin the incoming sliver 23 just in advance of the first pair of sliverfeed rolls 21. Thus, the recovered fibers are re-delivered to theneedles 11 of the knitting machine via feed rolls 21, transfer cylinderand doffer 19.

It is important that the air pressure in the conduits 54 which returnthe re-claimed fibers to the several sliver feeding means 16 not be toostrong, or it will disrupt or tear apart the rope of sliver 23 in theboxes 22. To guard against this, the top of upper portion 26 of eachsliver entry box is provided with a removeable screen or foraminouscover-27, which tends to dissipate the air pressure flowing from thelower end of the conduits 54.

Additionally, means 60 (FIG. 1) may be inserted in conduit 50, betweenblower 49 and manifold 51, to provide for reduction in the amount of airpressure in the upper portion of conduit 50 leading to manifold 51. Theconstruction of such air pressure means is disclosed in detail in FIGS.11 and 12.

More particularly, the air reduction means includes a cylinder 61 havinga foraminous cylindrical wall 62 and mounted on rotable shaft 64 withina cylindrical housing 65. Shaft 64 is supported by bearings 63. Thecylinder 61 is driven at a constant rate of speed by motor 66. I

As will be noted from FIG. 12, the rotatable foraminous cylinder 61 isdisposed within the air stream passing through conduit 50, such that thefibers entrained by the air are deposited on the foraminous wall of therotating cylinder and carried thereby from the incoming side of housing65 to the diametrically opposite side thereof, where they are blown fromthe surface of cylinder 61 into the upper portion of conduit 50. Becauseof the foraminous structure of the cylindrical wall 62, the air streampassing through conduit 50, which initially deposits the loose fibers onthe cylinder 61, also serves to remove them from its surface as thefibers arrive at the discharge side of the housing 65.

One or more conduits 70 are connected to one end of the housing 65, andserve to divert or bleed-off" some of the air pressure in thelowerportion of conduit 50. This has the effect of reducing the air pressurein the pneumatic system down stream from air reduction means 60, withoutdiverting any of the fibers from the system. The high pressure air thusdiverted from the pneumatic system through one or more conduits 70 maybe wasted or re-used for some suitable purpose, as desired.

Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, it will be seen that the floor oflower portion 24 of sliver entry box 22 may be provided with alongitudinal slot 81 for reception of a pivotal lever 82, the distal endof which may be advanced upwardly to raise the distal end of flexibledivider 83 disposed between the lower portion 24 and the upper portion26 of sliver entry box 22. In this manner, communication between the twoportions of box 22 may be closed off, so that recovered sliver fibersdelivered through conduit 54 to portion 26 of entry box 22 do not passto the feed rolls 21. Such an arrangement is used when changing thecolor, type or kind of sliver 23. After the old sliver is removed, andbefore the new sliver is fed to the machine, lever 82 is advanced toelevate divider 83, and the pneumatic system ispermitted to operateuntil all loose fibers from the old sliver are cleaned from the machineand deposited in upper portion 26 of box 22, between screen 27 anddivider 83. Thereupon, screen 27 is removed, the recovered fibers fromthe old sliver are removed, the screen then replaced, lever 82 returnedto its normal position, and, with the machine now being clean of the oldsliver fibers, knitting is ready to resume with the new sliver.

While suction systems presently are in use for removing loose sliver orpile fibers from within the needle circle, such systems are largelyineffective. Because of the use of the air jets in machines currently inuse, it is not possible to create suction at the region of the needlecircle, where the greatest wastage of pile fiber occurs. Rather, withthe fiber recovery systems presently in use, the suction necessarilymust be created at a location above the needles, where it is largelyineffective. By the elimination of the air jets, and the provision ofthe specially designed suction hood 30, which concentrates suctionwithin the needle circle along spaced arcuate segments thereof, inadvance of where the needles reach cast-off level, a vastly approved,highly practical and highly economical loose fiber recovery system isprovided by this invention.

With the very substantial reduction in sliver fiber wastage achieved bythis invention, it is possible either to obtain a denser high pilefabric, or to reduce the sliver feeding rate because of the greaterpercentage of sliver fibers knit into the fabric. In addition, theentire knitting machine, as a fabric producing instrumentality, isrendered cleaner and less clogged of waste sliver fibers, by reason ofthe improved vacuum cleaner effect of this invention.

The pneumatic system of this invention has been illustrated anddescribed in the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out theinvention. However, it is to be understood that the inventive conceptmay be carried out in a number of ways through a number of differentembodiments. For example, while the preferred embodiment has beendescribed in relation to independent needle knitting machines havinglatch type needles, it is to be understood that the invention is equallyuseful with knitting machines having fixed needles, spring heardneedles, etc. This invention, therefore, is not to be limited to theprecise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations andmodifications falling within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Iclaim:

In a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having a circle of needlesand a plurality of sliver and yarn feeding stations, a pneumatic systemfor holding fibers on the needles during knitting and for removing loosefibers from within the needle circle, said pneumatic system including:

f. a conduit connecting the suction creating means to the manifold,

a plurality of return conduits extending from the manifold, each saidreturn conduit terminating adjacent a feeding station, the number ofsaid return conduits being equal to the number of feeding stations, and

. means associated with the manifold for distributing fibers enteringthe manifold substantially uniformly among the return conduits extendingfrom the manifold.

In a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having a circle ofindependent needles and means for feeding sliver and yarn to theneedles, means for holding sliver fibers generally normal of the needlesas the needles take and knit the yarn, said means including:

a device for creating suction,

a suction hood disposed internally of the needle circle,

. a conduit connecting the hood to the suction creating device,

. said suction hood terminating at the region of the needles, and havingan aperture disposed adjacent the needle circle proximate to and inadvance of where the needles reach cast-off level, and

. a cam disposed in the aperture for aiding in retaining sliver fibersgenerally normal of the needles as the needles descend to cast-offlevel.

A pneumatic system for a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine havinga circle of needles and plural yarn. and sliver feeding stations, saidpneumatic system including:

a hood disposed internally of the needle circle and having means forconcentrating suction at each feeding station in the area where theneedles descend to cast-offlevel,

means for creating suction within the hood, a manifold for receiving anddividing uniformly loose sliver fibers,

. a conduit between the hood and the manifold for conveying loose sliverfibers from the hood to the manifold and conduit means for conveyingloose sliver fibers from the manifold to each feeding station of themachine.

. The invention of claim 3 wherein:

. the means for creating suction comprises a blower located in theconduit between the hood and the manifold and 5. 5 reduction means theportion of the conduit between the blower and the manifold includesmeans to reduce air pressure in said conduit portion.

The invention of claim 4 wherein the air pressure includes a rotatableforaminous cylinder mounted in said conduit.

In a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having a circle of needlesand a plurality of yarnfeeds, each yarn feed having adjacent thereto adoffer for deliverlo ing fibers to the needles,

means for creating suction within the needle circle,

means for concentrating suction at spaced intervals about the needlecircle, each interval being disposed between a doffer and the pointwhere the needles reach cast-off level and cam means adjacent the needlecircle to aid in retaining sliver fibers generally normal of the needlesas the needles descend to cast-off level.

The invention of claim 6 further including:

a manifold,

a conduit for conveying loose sliver fibers from within the needlecircle to the manifold and conduit means for conveying loose sliverfibers from the manifold to the doffers.

A pneumatic fiber recovery system for high pile fabric knitting machineshaving a circle of needles and plural sliver feeding means, each saidsliver feeding 30 means including a doffer, which system includes:

a hood disposed within the needle circle and having means forconcentrating suction adjacent each sliver feeding means in the areabetween the doffer and the point where the needles reach cast-off level,

. means for creating suction within the hood, a fiber distributor, aconduit for conducting loose sliver fibers from the hood to thedistributor and plural return conduits extending from the distributorfor conducting loosesliver fibers from the distributor to the pluralsliver feeding means, each said return conduit terminating adjacent asliver feeding means.

A pneumatic fiber recovery system for high pile fabric knitting machineshaving a circle of needles and plural sliver feeding means, whichincludes:

means for creating suction within the needle circle,

a fiber distributor remote from the needle circle, conduit means forconducting loose sliver fibers from within the needle circle to thefiber distributor,

. plural return conduits extending from the distributor for conductingloose fibers from the fiber distributor to the plural sliver feedingmeans, each said return conduit terminating adjacent a sliver feedingmeans, Y

. a sliver entry means connecting the terminal of each return conduitand the sliver feeding means adjacent which said conduit terminates,each said sliver entry means including:

1. a first passageway for transmitting sliver to the sliver feedingmeans,

2. a second passageway for transmitting loose sliver fibers from thereturn conduit to the sliver in the first passageway and 3. means forclosing off communication between the two passageways, whereby the loosesliver fibers may be trapped and collected in the second passagewaypreparatory to changing sliver fed to the knitting machine.

10. A method of knitting sliver high pile fabric on a knitting machinehaving a circle of needles and plural sliver and yarn feeding stations,which includes the steps of:

sliver.

l l. The method of claim wherein:

a. the loose sliver fibers are removed from the region of the needles toa manifold,

b. the loose sliver fibers are divided in the manifold substantiallyuniformly into separate groups of fibers, said groups being equal innumber to the number of sliver and yarn feeding stations and 0. eachgroup of divided fibers is conveyed from the a. feeding sliver and yarnto the needles, to manifold to a sliver and yarn feeding station. b.advancing the needles relative to the sliver and T e method0fClaim9wherein:

yarn feeding stations to needle cast-off level to the Suctionis createdbyablowerland form th liver and yarn i f b i b. the fibers are conveyedto the manifold and from c. creating suction within the needle circleadjacent the manifold to the Sliver ng tati ns by air the needles atspaced intervals about the needle 15 Pressure from the blower- 13. Themethod of claim 12 further including the step of reducing the airpressure as the fibers are conveyed to the manifold.

14. The method of claim 10 further including the step of retainingsliver fibers on the needles generally normal of the needles as theneedles descend to cast-off level.

15. The method of claim 10 further including the step of retainingsliver fibers on the needles generally radially inward of the needlecircle as the needles descend to cast-off level.

1. In a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having a circle ofneedles and a plurality of sliver and yarn feeding stations, a pneumaticsystem for holding fibers on the needles during knitting and forremoving loose fibers from within the needle circle, said pneumaticsystem including: a. means to create suction, b. a suction hood withinthe needle circle, c. a plurality of spaced apertures in the hood, eachaperture being disposed adjacent to a feeding station in advance ofwhere the needles cast-off at said station, d. a conduit connecting thehood to the suction creating means, e. a manifold, f. a conduitconnecting the suction creating means to the manifold, g. a plurality ofreturn conduits extending from the manifold, each said return conduitterminating adjacent a feeding station, the number of said returnconduits being equal to the number of feeding stations, and h. meansassociated with the manifold for distributing fibers entering themanifold substantially uniformly among the return conduits extendingfrom the manifold.
 2. a second passageway for transmitting loose sliverfibers from the return conduit to the sliver in the first passageway and2. In a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having a circle ofindependent needles and means for feeding sliver and yarn to theneedles, means for holding sliver fibers generally normal of the needlesas the needles take and knit the yarn, said means including: a. a devicefor creating suction, b. a suction hood disposed internally of theneedle circle, c. a conduit connecting the hood to the suction creatingdevice, d. said suction hood terminating at the region of the needles,and having an aperture disposed adjacent the needle circle proximate toand in advance of where the needles reach cast-off level, and e. a camdisposed in the aperture for aiding in retaining sliver fibers generallynormal of the needles as the needles descend to cast-off level.
 3. Apneumatic system for a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having acircle of needles and plural yarn and sliver feeding stations, saidpneumatic system including: a. a hood disposed internally of the needlecircle and having means for concentrating suction at each feedingstation in the area where the needles descend to cast-off level, b.means for creating suction within the hood, c. a manifold for receivingand dividing uniformly loose sliver fibers, d. a conduit between thehood and the manifold for conveying loose sliver fibers from the hood tothe manifold and e. conduit means for conveying loose sliver fibers fromthe manifold to each feeding stAtion of the machine.
 3. means forclosing off communication between the two passageways, whereby the loosesliver fibers may be trapped and collected in the second passagewaypreparatory to changing sliver fed to the knitting machine.
 4. Theinvention of claim 3 wherein: a. the means for creating suctioncomprises a blower located in the conduit between the hood and themanifold and b. the portion of the conduit between the blower and themanifold includes means to reduce air pressure in said conduit portion.5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the air pressure reduction meansincludes a rotatable foraminous cylinder mounted in said conduit.
 6. Ina sliver high pile fabric knitting machine having a circle of needlesand a plurality of yarn feeds, each yarn feed having adjacent thereto adoffer for delivering fibers to the needles, a. means for creatingsuction within the needle circle, b. means for concentrating suction atspaced intervals about the needle circle, each interval being disposedbetween a doffer and the point where the needles reach cast-off leveland c. cam means adjacent the needle circle to aid in retaining sliverfibers generally normal of the needles as the needles descend tocast-off level.
 7. The invention of claim 6 further including: a. amanifold, b. a conduit for conveying loose sliver fibers from within theneedle circle to the manifold and c. conduit means for conveying loosesliver fibers from the manifold to the doffers.
 8. A pneumatic fiberrecovery system for high pile fabric knitting machines having a circleof needles and plural sliver feeding means, each said sliver feedingmeans including a doffer, which system includes: a. a hood disposedwithin the needle circle and having means for concentrating suctionadjacent each sliver feeding means in the area between the doffer andthe point where the needles reach cast-off level, b. means for creatingsuction within the hood, c. a fiber distributor, d. a conduit forconducting loose sliver fibers from the hood to the distributor and e.plural return conduits extending from the distributor for conductingloose sliver fibers from the distributor to the plural sliver feedingmeans, each said return conduit terminating adjacent a sliver feedingmeans.
 9. A pneumatic fiber recovery system for high pile fabricknitting machines having a circle of needles and plural sliver feedingmeans, which includes: a. means for creating suction within the needlecircle, b. a fiber distributor remote from the needle circle, c. conduitmeans for conducting loose sliver fibers from within the needle circleto the fiber distributor, d. plural return conduits extending from thedistributor for conducting loose fibers from the fiber distributor tothe plural sliver feeding means, each said return conduit terminatingadjacent a sliver feeding means, e. a sliver entry means connecting theterminal of each return conduit and the sliver feeding means adjacentwhich said conduit terminates, each said sliver entry means including:10. A method of knitting sliver high pile fabric on a knitting machinehaving a circle of needles and plural sliver and yarn feeding stations,which includes the steps of: a. feeding sliver and yarn to the needles,b. advancing the needles relative to the sliver and yarn feedingstations to needle cast-off level to form the sliver and yarn intofabric, c. creating suction within the needle circle adjacent theneedles at spaced intervals about the needle circle, each interval beingin advance of where the needles reach cast-off level, to retain sliverfibers fed to the needles under uniform tension generally normal of theneedles as the neeDles approach cast-off level, d. removing loose sliverfibers by said suction from the region of the needles to a locationremote from the needles, e. dividing the loose sliver fibers and f.conveying pneumatically the divided loose sliver fibers from saidlocation to the sliver and yarn feeding stations to be re-fed to theneedles with the sliver.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein: a. theloose sliver fibers are removed from the region of the needles to amanifold, b. the loose sliver fibers are divided in the manifoldsubstantially uniformly into separate groups of fibers, said groupsbeing equal in number to the number of sliver and yarn feeding stationsand c. each group of divided fibers is conveyed from the manifold to asliver and yarn feeding station.
 12. The method of claim 9 wherein: a.the suction is created by a blower, and b. the fibers are conveyed tothe manifold and from the manifold to the sliver feeding stations by airpressure from the blower.
 13. The method of claim 12 further includingthe step of reducing the air pressure as the fibers are conveyed to themanifold.
 14. The method of claim 10 further including the step ofretaining sliver fibers on the needles generally normal of the needlesas the needles descend to cast-off level.
 15. The method of claim 10further including the step of retaining sliver fibers on the needlesgenerally radially inward of the needle circle as the needles descend tocast-off level.